A holdover from President Barack Obama's administration, Thomas D. Homan, was nominated by President Trump on Tuesday to serve as an assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security and permanent director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In January, Trump demoted ICE director Daniel Ragsdale and nominated Homan to oversee the DHS agency tasked with carrying out interior enforcement operations, including the deportation of illegal immigrants.

At the time, Homan was executive associate director of ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations.

As a candidate, Trump promised to deport criminal illegal immigrants on his first day in office, and Homan's work is evidence the administration has made that focus a priority.

As of this past July, Homan said the demand for criminal illegal immigrants in local jails has increased 80 percent.